Betrothed
by BookishGray
Summary: Flynn is getting ready to put his dignity on the line and propose to Rapunzel. The only problem is, she's already getting married. To someone she doesn't even know yet. In fact, she is forced to decide between three princes to marry. Flynn can either help her choose the right man, or sabotage her and the customs of her kingdom. Flynn(Eugene)/Rapunzel. Just a random idea I got. :3
1. Married!

The ring felt heavy in my pocket as I swung through her top-story window. Man, I will never get tired of the view up here…

What was I talking about? Oh, yeah.

I swung from the roof into her art room on the top floor, though I almost fell while coming in. I never lost my cool in situations like this before, but I guess today was no average day. Flynn Rider was never nervous, but I guess Flynn Rider never had to go through this. I slipped my hand into my pocket and twiddled with the small silver band as I called out, "Hey, blondie, whatcha paintin'?"

Rapunzel looked up at me with a knowing smile on her face. "Through the window again?" she complained, but was trying to conceal a laugh.

"For old time's sake," I replied and shrugged. She sat on a stool, facing me, in the middle of the canvas-and-paint-filled room with an easel in front of her. When I strode around to the other side of the easel to see her newest masterpiece, I let out a long, impressed whistle to show my appreciation.

"Not bad," I remarked. She had depicted a single tower in the middle of the forest at night. In the sky behind it there were dozens of glowing lights floating up into the air. A girl with short, brunette hair sat atop the tower's roof. I immediately understood the painting. She had finally escaped her chains and achieved her dream. Now she just needed another.

"You really think so?" Rapunzel asked, looking up at me with her big, innocent green eyes.

"I know so," I praised her. She grinned at me with a rosy glow seeping into her cheeks. I figured at that point, it was now or never.

"Listen, your majesty..."

"Eugene, no. I told you, I'm not 'your majesty', especially to you. I'm Rapunzel. Now call me that instead," she corrected me.

"Is that an order, princess?" I asked with a smirk.

Rapunzel giggled. "Yes."

I knelt down on one knee beside her, tightly gripping the ring in my pocket. "Listen, _Rapunzel,_" I began, emphasizing her name to make her laugh a little more. God, I loved her laugh. "We've known each other for only a few months, and I know you're a princess and I'm… well, I'm nothing but a thief given a second chance. But I… I need to tell - or ask - you something that's been on my mind for a while, now that-"

"Me too," Rapunzel blurted. My eyes went wide, but I soon calmed myself and let her speak.

"You go first," I told her.

"Are you sure?" she asked. I nodded. Why not? I was positive my question could wait. "Okay, okay. Whew…" she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to shake off nerves. She then looked me directly in the eyes as she announced, "I'm getting married."

I can't remember my initial reaction. It could have been a lot of things. I could have started cursing or yelling or stuttering or just sat there staring. But all I know is that the love of my life had told me she was getting married. And it wasn't to me.

When I finally regained consciousness of the situation, I vaguely remember saying something like, "What the heck do you mean by married?!" but I think it came out more as, "Wha… you… _married?!_"

"In a month. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I... I didn't want you to worry," Rapunzel began playing with one of her short, dark locks.

"Worry?" I asked aloud, but in my head, I added, "I'm much more than _worried_." See, being an outcast and a thief and an orphan, I honestly had no experience with heartbreak at all. This was a wake-up call and a slap to the face and a stab to the heart all at once. How could Rapunzel be getting married and not even tell me?

"You're just so protective and I was worried you'd be angry if you knew," the princess explained further.

"Wh... Why would I be angry?" I asked her.

"I figured the last thing you'd want me to do was marry a man I don't know."

I could have fainted. Not only was my beautiful princess getting married, but she didn't even know him. This day couldn't get any worse.

I tried to be as supportive as I could, though. I didn't know why or who, or even if she wanted to, but I knew I at least had to be there for her.

"Why... And who?" I stuttered.

"It's customary for our kingdom and those surrounding us to find three eligible princes from neighboring areas. When the princess comes of age, she travels to all of their home kingdoms and picks between the three princes to marry. I'm 18, so it's time, I guess," Rapunzel continued. I mentally face-palmed. I knew about this tradition. How could I not? It's all over the kingdom's press when it occurs. And I thought _I _could propose to her?

"How do you feel about choosing between men you don't know?" I asked.

"I don't know. I'm a nervous wreck. I don't know what to do or how to act. And, to be honest," she looked me right in the eyes, "there's another man out there I'd rather be with." I doubted it, but she seemed to be directing that phrase right at me, making sure to say it slow and clear. My heart skipped ahead of me a few beats, but I quickly caught up with it, and calmed it. I put on my bad boy persona again subconsciously. That tended to happen when I felt upset or humiliated.

Rapunzel soon let the subject drop, though. "So, what did you want to ask me?"

I stood and dusted myself off. I turned toward the window I entered from and didn't even look back as I said, "It doesn't matter anymore. It was stupid to begin with. Good luck with your princes." I began to walk toward the exit when I felt a soft, small hand on my shoulder which forced me to stop.

"Aren't you going to be there for me? I can't do this by myself," Rapunzel requested, begged of me. "I can request you as an escort."

I still didn't turn back to her as I replied, "If you want me there," in a bitter tone. Out of anger - more directed toward myself and the rest of the kingdom than her - I took the ring from my pocket and tossed it behind me where I knew Rapunzel could see it. I continued forward, swung my legs out onto the edge of the window sill, and boosted myself up onto the roof. From there, I headed back to my home on the edge of the city and collapsed onto my bed.

I didn't cry. Not as little orphan Eugene Fitzherbert, not as Flynn Rider, and not as the "new and improved" Eugene everyone seemed to like. But that afternoon as I lay on my bed, I rethought my last conversation with Rapunzel and felt like sobbing for the rest of my life. This was Rapunzel we're talking about. Obviously it was a long shot to think I could ever marry a princess, but I was the one who saved her, right? (Even if I did plan on tricking her and ditching her at first, but that doesn't matter now...) I had the strongest bond with her than anyone in the world, even her own family.

I realized after a few hours (and a couple of glasses of whiskey) that I really did need to be there for her on her tour. She needed me, even if it wasn't in the same way I needed her, and I needed to be there for her. Rapunzel was my best friend first and foremost, and - as much as I hated to admit it - I was nothing without her. Losing her as a friend would be even worse than losing her as a lover. I sent a letter off to the castle right away (hoping she could read my slurred, rushed handwriting) and slept peacefully that night. Did I still hope she'd seen the ring I'd tossed over my shoulder? Yes. I hoped she'd have seen it and stopped the tour altogether and marry me. But that wasn't the case. If she saw it, and knew what it meant, then she gave no hint to me about it. I only had one thing left to do. If I wasn't going to have her, then I'd need to thoroughly inspect whoever did.


	2. Thoughts of Sabotage

_What's up, people? It's Gray here! You should know that this is my first Tangled fic, so please feel free to PM me with any errors or OOC-ness you notice. Thank you!_

_In this chapter: Pascal and Eugene team up to try to "help" Rapunzel during the tour... albeit, a bit unconventionally. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

The next month passed just smoothly as its predecessors did. The only problem was the overhanging thought of the tour coming soon. Rapunzel could sense my dread, I know she could. She knew how I felt about her, it was obvious. I thought I knew how she felt about me, but I wasn't sure. I often thought of - and dreamed of - that song we sung on the lake, and that moment in the tower when she - er, I - kissed her. No, who am I kidding? She kissed me.

But did that mean she loved me still? Maybe she got over me. Maybe she didn't want to be seen with a non-royal. Maybe she thought my past was too bad. Those insecurities were on my mind 24/7 that month. I don't think it mattered, anyway. No matter what she felt, she was determined to honor her kingdom and go through with the tour. Royalty sucks.

Though it was constantly playing like a broken record in our minds, it was only until two days before the tour that Rapunzel even mentioned it again.

"So... Are you ready?" She asked out of the blue. I had just entered the room - the library this time (and, yes, it was through the door, thank you) - and she didn't even need to look up from her book to know it was me.

"Ready for...?" I prompted, not yet knowing what she meant.

"The tour, silly!" She exclaimed. She stood from her chair, ran up to me and gave me the tightest hug I've ever felt. "I haven't seen you in a week! Where have you been?"

"Oh, you know, here, there. At work, mostly," I replied nonchalantly. At the time, I had worked at a carpenter's shop.

"I was worried you wouldn't show," she commented, pulling away from me so she could see my face.

"Me? Not show up?" I put on a face of mock insult that turned into a subtle smirk. "I couldn't just leave you to fend for yourself in those distant kingdoms. I'll have to make sure and watch those princes _real _close."

Rapunzel pushed my chest back, breaking our gentle hug. "Oh, no, you won't!" She argued, but still smiling.

"How else am I going to make sure you find the perfect man?"

Her face turned stony for a fraction of a second. "Am I going to?" she whispered, suddenly serious.

"To be honest, Blondie, I don't know for sure, but I ain't letting you walk out with some sleaze ball."

"I know you won't." She gave me a sad smile that pretty much screamed, _Sorry, but it will never work... I'm taken-to-be._

A royal guard entered the library just at that moment. "Your highness," he addressed Rapunzel with a bow. "And Sir Flynn," he added awkwardly. "I have come to fetch you. The king and queen have summoned you both into their chambers."

I looked at Rapunzel and held my arm out, which she took gladly. The guard gave me a strange look as we passed - one that could have been either confusion, surprise or resentment - but I ignored it. Hey, I changed. I'm not wanted anymore; I (kind of) saved the Lost Princess. Well, she saved me too, but that's a whole different story.

As we walked through the lavishly decorated halls, I couldn't help but think how good the royals have it. As a child, I dreamed of having gold and riches, but had rarely ever seen a coin in my life. How nice it would be to be a prince...

But you better not take that wrong. That had nothing to do with my wishing to marry Rapunzel. I was accused of that far too often for my comfort at the time. Heck, I'm accused of it now.

Where was I? Oh, right. The King's quarters.

As soon as we entered the room, the queen rushed toward us and hugged her daughter, then me. Rapunzel's mother has always liked me, it seems. Ever since she had first met me, she seemed kind and accepting, which wasn't what I was expecting at the time.

Rapunzel's father wasn't so keen on me, though. He saw me for what I was: a thief who stumbled across his daughter by accident. The only problem was, he didn't seem to think I had changed, which I very well had! But getting my name cleared from the "Wanted" posters didn't convince him, I guess. The king just stayed, standing firm, in the same position. His wife led us over to him, and gently chided me when I tried to bow.

"Now, now, Eugene. You are no less than us. You are family. You needn't bow in our presence." The queen gave me a comforting smile, and Rapunzel squeezed my arm assuredly.

The king cleared his throat loudly and began in a firm, formal tone, "My daughter, Princess Rapunzel of Corona, has requested you as her only escort and mentor during the upcoming tour. Of course, we will be sending some of Corona's finest royal guards to escort you both. I trust you know about this?"

I nodded once.

"Good. The next part, however, you don't know is that a prince of one kingdom has dropped out, and has been replaced with another from a kingdom farther south." I nodded again, not seeing any significance. "To make up for lost travel time, the two of you must leave immediately."

I raised an eyebrow. "As in, right now?"

"That is what 'immediately' means, Mr. Rider," he replied in a deadpan tone. I opened my mouth to say something more, but, as if he were reading my mind, he answered the question I was about to ask. "Don't worry. We've gotten enough packed for you."

"You... packed clothes for me?" I nearly asked, but kept the question inside. I didn't really want to upset the king.

"Come, Rapunzel," the queen beckoned her daughter to follow her, "We'll get you dressed for the trip."

"But, mother, I already am-"

"Nonsense. It's a mother's job to make her daughter look nice for things like this." The queen left the room, Rapunzel following closely at her heels. I felt like Rapunzel looked good enough, and there was another reason she was forced out of the room.

"You know why Rapunzel wants you with her, I assume?" The king asked as soon as the women were out of the room. He's definitely a man to get straight to business.

I shook my head. I honestly didn't know. It could be a lot of things. I figured it was mostly because we were close, though.

"You don't? Well, I believe it has to do with her feelings for you. She doesn't want to lose you," the king told me. I felt my cheeks burning and glowing, and I must have been as red as a tomato because the king laughed before continuing. "You're a good man, Eugene," _Those were the last words I expected to come from his mouth, _"and I expect you will help my daughter make the right choice."

"I-I will, your majesty," I stuttered pathetically.

"Just remember," he added as he turned and walked away. "The right path is not always the one everyone else wants you to take." I'd like to think I'm pretty smart and all, but I had no idea what he meant by that. What was he trying to say; let her decide? Don't let the others weigh in? I couldn't tell. I decided not to dwell on it for too much longer, and strode to the door I saw Rapunzel and the queen enter. I was about to knock on it when I realized there were hushed voices coming from the other side.

"Are you sure you want to go through with the tour?" a whisper, most likely from the queen, echoed through the door.

"I have to. It's a kingdom tradition," a more forlorn voice, Rapunzel's, was audible.

"Traditions can be broken. You don't need this tour to find the perfect man, you know."

"What kind of princess would I be if I let down the whole kingdom of Corona? I missed 18 years already and-"

"Is that what this is about?" The queen asked. "That wasn't your fault, dear. You were taken by force, not by your own will. You are learning to be a great princess. You don't have to go if you wish to instead marry-" Their voices got even quieter, and I was forced to lean farther in to the door to hear.

"No. I'm going. We already promised the first kingdom that I'll be there by tomorrow. I'm going."

Footsteps drew nearer and nearer to the door, and I had to quickly back away before Rapunzel opened the door. The last thing I wanted to do was to be caught eavesdropping.

I lost balance right as she opened the door, though, and ended up flat on my back staring up at her.

Rapunzel laughed. "What are you doing, Eugene?"

"Getting a better view. You look good from this angle," I joked. She helped me up and I dusted off my pants and vest.

"Thanks," I said with a smile.

"No problem," she replied, returning my grin. We stood there, just staring at each other for a few seconds, the stupidest grins on our faces, until Rapunzel blinked a few times and snapped out of her trance. She then took me by the arm.

"Come on, this way," she instructed me. "We've got to get to the harbor in time. They've already loaded our things into the ship."

The next minutes were a blur. All I remember is boarding the ship from the harbor.

"Who're the guards they're sending?" I asked as we climbed the ramp onto the main deck. I was worried about sharing close quarters with men who used to try to capture me, dead or alive

"I don't know, they just said they were-" Rapunzel stopped and screamed with delight as she reached the top. She ran as fast as she could in that tight, uncomfortable dress and pounced on someone out of my sight. As I climbed onto the deck, I noticed a proud, white stallion with a little, green lizard-thing on his back. Rapunzel was hugging them both.

"Hey, Max!" I greeted my old frienemy. "And, uh, miniature iguana?"

Rapunzel playfully punched my arm. "Pascal is a chameleon!" She picked him up in the palms of her hands and allowed him to climb up to her shoulder where, now out of her sight, he stuck his tongue out at me. That lizard will never like me.

At that moment, the captain came out of his quarters to greet us. He told us all about how long each trip will take, what we should expect while traveling, what to do or not do. You know, all the kinds of stuff I never listen to. I just smiled and nodded.

* * *

By the time we set sail, it was nearly 10 PM, and Rapunzel was asleep in her quarters below deck. I stayed up with Pascal (who was sitting on a crate next to me), watching for islands over the horizon.

After a few minutes of silence, Pascal nudged me on the arm with his head.

"What do you want, an apple? Petting? I'm not petting you," I muttered. My happy façade was fading now. I hated the idea of this tour. I hated it with a passion.

Pascal shook his head. He pointed a leg, er, arm… maybe hand... whatever chameleons have, at the door to Rapunzel's room.

"Rapunzel? What about her?" I asked, actually interested in what he was trying to say now.

Pascal pointed at me, then back to the door, then raised an eyebrow as if to say, _"You and her have a 'thing', right?"_

I shook my head. "I thought so. Even her parents thought so. But she's so determined to do what the people of Corona and the other kingdoms want her to do that she's actually going through with this." I leaned up against the rail of the deck, crossing my arms, almost pouting.

Pascal grunted angrily then pointed at the map hanging on the wall adjacent to me.

"I can't tell her to stop the tour, boy. She would hate me."

He just grunted again, pointed at me and punched a hole in the map with his tongue right where the kingdom of Arendelle used to be.

"We aren't going to Arendelle, smart one," I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

Without looking, he punched another hole in the Southern Isles.

"What am I gonna tell the captain about what happened to his map?" I asked, ignoring the message Pascal was sending me.

He raised his eyebrows again and I understood what he was saying. _"Are you really gonna let some random prince take her away? Do something about it!"_

"Pascal, she really wants to go through with this. We can't just sabotage it!" I argued, though I didn't even believe myself. Pascal just stood in the same position, silently saying, "_You're blind if you think she wants this. I'm just watching out for her."_

As much as I felt it was wrong, I gave in. "Okay, you're right. Those princes will never be right for her. And I'm going to make sure she knows that. One way or another."

Pascal smiled slyly, then crawled up onto my shoulder and stuck out his short, green hand for me to take, as if saying, _"Team?"_

I shook it using my thumb and forefinger, but then realized something. "Max won't be happy about this."

Pascal shrugged trying to say, _"Who cares? We have to help Rapunzel's first!"_

"Right, right. So avoid the prissy horse. Sounds good to me." I yawned. "Let's get some shut-eye first. And in the morning, we mess with some princes…"


	3. The First Kingdom

**AN: I'm baaaack! :3 My trip was fantastic, and gave me a heckuva lotta inspiration and such.**

**Did you miss me? I hope so! Thanks for all the support :3 I am officially off hiatus, so here is chapter 3!**

* * *

I awoke the next morning with the oddest mixture of feelings. I had hope now, hope that I could win Rapunzel back. But I also felt guilty about what I knew I had to do. I had to make everyone else look bad. Then again, the little chameleon was right about one thing: no matter how much she protests, I know Rapunzel _doesn't _want this.

I stood from my stiff, swaying cot and stumbled as I started to walk. The lack of sleep I'd had recently, plus my anxiety, and now the constant sway of the ship was enough to send me tripping all over myself.

I dressed myself as best I could in the dimly lit room. Not only was it hard to see with no lantern or window, but the fancy clothes put into my trunk weren't what I was used to; they were all uncomfortable, hard to figure out, and forced me into perfect posture. Might as well stick a board up my back.

The suit didn't look half-bad when I finally got it on. It fit nicely. It was a medium purple coat and white trousers, both with gold trim and buttons, trademark colors of Corona. The kingdom's symbol, the sun, was embroidered in sparkly gold thread on my left shoulder.

By the time I went up to the deck, dawn was breaking, and Rapunzel was already awake and leaning over the ship's rail watching the sunrise over the horizon. Though I later denied it, I stood a ways away just marveling at how she looked. She wore a long, fitted, lavender dress with lace lining the part below the waist, and her short, dark hair was slightly curled, but looked natural and beautiful as always. The way the sunlight and ocean glare reflected off her was breathtaking. I began to question if she were actually real or just an illusion."Hey, Princess," I finally greeted. She turned around and seemed to notice me for the first time, and blushed realizing I had stood there for a while.

"Corona's symbol is the sun," she replied dreamily, "I see it everywhere I go. But I didn't think the sun could be _this_ pretty."

I thought for a moment, wondering if I should really… _yeah, worth a shot. _"You know what goes great with sunrises? Breakfast made by yours truly," I commented.

Rapunzel raised her eyebrows, chuckling a bit. "You cook? Since when?"

I shrugged. "How hard can it be? Come on!" I grabbed her by the hand and led her down to the kitchen. The ship's cook probably wouldn't be too happy with us if he found out we were messing with all of his things, but, hey, we were having a heck of a good time.

"Okay, just crack the egg _reeeal_ gentle…" Rapunzel instructed me, guiding my hand and helping me smack an egg against the edge of the counter. I hit it a little too hard, and chunks of yolk and egg-shell exploded in all directions. Rapunzel stained the sleeve of her dress and I got a glop of yellow goo in my hair. Some even got on the wall and splattered across the ceiling.

Rapunzel laughed at my attempts to get egg out of my dark locks. "Okay, forget the eggs. I'll do that. Just mix this _gently_." She handed me a bowl of flour, water and milk.

I seemed to succeed in stirring the ingredients (or at least Rapunzel didn't need to correct me as much), and she soon added freshly beaten, perfectly cracked eggs into the mix. "What did you call this again?" I asked as she poured the batter into a pan over the fire.

"Pancakes. It's an English food. I read about it in a book. Back in the tower…" her cheery expression faded for a moment, and she seemed to distance herself from me, something I wish I could cure. But as fast as it had left, her smile reappeared as the pancake started to harden on one side. She flipped it enthusiastically, letting it flip in the air once before catching it with the spatula.

"We have things just like this in Corona, you know."

Rapunzel nodded, still not breaking her gaze from the pan. "Just without the fruit filling."

"What fun is that?"

She smiled slyly. "I put chocolate in it."

"I take that back," I quickly corrected myself as she loaded two, perfectly formed pancakes on two plates and handed one to me.

"How is it?" Rapunzel questioned as we ate on the main deck. I couldn't answer right away. My face was too stuffed with fluffy goodness to coherently reply.

"_Gurhf._" I swallowed hard, finishing my mouthful. "Good," I repeated, "Really good."

One of the guards, accompanied by Max, interrupted our picnic to inform us that we would be docking in Retana (the first kingdom) an hour and a half. Max stole my apple.

"Thank you, Montier," Rapunzel responded, but only half-heartedly. She seemed a bit deflated (but who could blame her?). The guard nodded and went on his way.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked quietly once the guard was out of earshot.

Rapunzel nodded feebly. "O-of course, Eugene. How bad can this prince be, anyway?"

Rapunzel had no idea what was coming to her. To be fair, neither did I at the time. As soon as we stepped off the ship, the princess and I were whisked away to the castle by royal escorts, chased by the screaming, star-struck citizens of Retana. When we entered the palace, my breath caught in my throat. Everything was made of solid gold. Gold floors, gold walls, gold statues, gold chandeliers, gold stairs. _Everything!_ I knew nothing about the Retanian royalty, but I know now they were filthy rich. I added it to a mental list of things I would complain about to Rapunzel rich are okay. It's the _filthy rich_ you gotta watch out for. About nine months prior, that place would have been my dream home. Now, I felt incredibly suspicious of it.

A pudgy man in a glittery silk cape waddled down from the staircase to the left. "Welcome, Princess Rapunzel, welcome! I, my dear, am the King of Retana!" The king shook her hand excitedly, paying no attention to me (her _escort!) _and getting straight to business. "We are so pleased to have you as our guest, my sweet! May I present to you: my eldest son, Prince Adrian of Retana!"

A muscular, tanned, handsome (albeit very short) boy came strutting into view from the same staircase his father had. He looked barely Rapunzel's age, no older (and no taller either). Though he was quite vertically challenged, had perfect, chiseled features (that looked nearly like a stone bust), the kind of long, dirty blonde hair that girls went gaga over, and an arrogant expression that immediately made me want to punch him.

"Princess," he addressed her with a bow before taking her hand and softly pressing his lips to it. Now I _really _wanted to punch him. What a creep. The kid even wore the same silvery, sparkly cloak as his dad.

Rapunzel smiled politely, but her brows were subtly furrowed in a sort of "_Let-go-of-me-you're-weird" _look.

Adrian then turned to me. "You are her royal escort, I assume?"

I wanted to make a sarcastic comment about the fancy way he talked, but I decided that would just make Rapunzel angry, so instead just nodded curtly.

"You seem... young to be working in such a high position," he noted, eying me up and down. Nope. This kid crossed the line; he fired first. It was my turn next.

"Says the kid no taller than five and a half feet," I retorted, sneering a bit into the sentence.

Adrian was physically taken aback by my insult. "I happen to be five feet and eleven inches," he informed me indignantly.

"Yeah, with those ten-inch heels on," I muttered, pointing at his fancy boots. Rapunzel pinched my arm discreetly to keep me from saying more. Though she gave me a stern look, it was easy to tell that she was trying to conceal a giggle.

"Pardon my escort, Adrian. He's _just a little protective,"_ she enunciated each word slowly so I got the hint to shut up. Pascal, on her shoulder, was nearly dying of laughter. I hoped the little guy wouldn't break a lung... Wait, can chameleons even laugh?

"Might I know your name?" Adrian asked me in his annoying, high-pitched voice.

I felt like refusing, but Rapunzel introduced me before I had the chance. "This is Sir Eugene Flynnigan Fitzherbert-Rider. He's my boy - er - best friend."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at Rapunzel, whose cheeks were glowing a light shade of pink. What was she going to say? Boyfriend? Really?

"Well, hello, then. I apologize for stealing your best friend away for the next two days," Adrian said in the most squeaky tone possible for a man's voice to naturally be.

He turned back to Rapunzel. "Shall we set off?"

She smiled and nodded, taking his arm. He lead her out of the grand, golden palace doors and out into the courtyard. I was about to follow them from a distance, but before I could, I saw Pascal salute and wave at me from Rapunzel's shoulder. It was clear he was saying, "_I've got it covered up close. Just make sure nobody interferes from afar."_

I scoffed silently. _As if, _I said in my head, _I'm still keeping an eye on them_. I began to move in their direction when the king caught me by the shoulder and turned me around.

"Sir Eugene! You _must _accompany me on a tour of the palace! It is the least I can do for my guests!" The man was so excited about everything. It irritated me. As much as I wanted to refuse, the guy had his arm hugged too tight around me to move.

I chuckled in an obviously fake tone. "Yes, of course, Your Highness." Boy, was I gonna hightail it out of there as soon as he turned his back...

"So you see," the king continued. The tour had gone on for 45 minutes. This palace was _huge._ And when I said earlier that everything was made of the gold, I really meant everything. The freaking toilet seats shined! Who does that? "The culture of our people is quite diverse and comprehensive..." _Your accent is killing me. _"Our entire population is relatively wealthy. There is little poverty here..." _What does this have to do with your gold_-_encrusted wardrobe? _"Even the poorest of peasants are able to afford basic necessities..." _I don't have time for this!_

"I apologize, Your Majesty, but I just realized that I left my pocket watch on the ship, if you don't mind me going to get it," I requested, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

The king smiled at me. "Why, of course! Hurry along now! You still have to see the kitchen!" I sighed internally and booked it out of the palace. As soon as I left the doors, I was knocked over by a tall, white, _furry _obstacle. Max hovered over me with a stern expression.

"What? I'm not sneaking away!" I lied. "I just left something. My pocket watch." I pointed toward the harbor. "On the ship."

Max narrowed his eyes and looked me up and down, trying to catch my lie. When he couldn't find any proof, he simply backed away slowly, still watching me. I knew I'd have to be careful around him. One false move, and he'd report it for sure.

_Great._ I thought. _Just another thing in my way. _I'd just have to be extra cautious while sneaking around. I walked by Maximus slowly and then - once I passed him - booked it in the direction of the harbor. As soon as I was out of Max's sight, I turned and made my way back to the village square where I had seen Rapunzel and Adrian go to.

Soon, the square came into view. And I laid my eyes on the most horrible scene I had ever imagined...

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**AN: I know, not much of a cliffhanger, but I had to end it somewhere. I didn't want to bombard you with a massive chapter right after I get back... or is that what you would have wanted? 0.o**

**Anyway, I'll be back next week with more. Please review with thoughts, suggestions, or ideas. I'm open to anything you say.**

**See ya later!**

**~Gray!**


	4. Adrian's Secret

**A/N: Heyo! This is Gray back with my latest installment of this story. Sorry this is a short chapter because writers' block sucks :(**

**Also, I apologize for not updating very often, but I've been working on other stories, namely Wolf Among Us stuff and my own original sci-fi novel. I plan to start updating regularly now. Thanks for all your support and the helpful critiques you're giving me. I love you guys. So without further ado, here is chapter 4:**

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...I then laid my eyes on the most horrible scene I could imagine:

Crowds. I _hate _crowds. Easy to slip around in, yes. I made my fair share of getaways while hiding in crowds, but it still didn't make me much of a people person. There were thousands of people gathered in the town square, and it took a lot of shoving and crawling to get through them. I saw what they were all so interested in.

In the middle of the town square, there was a patch of grass one might call a park. It was the lamest park I've ever seen, though. The grassy area couldn't have been more than 10 feet by 10 feet, with a single tree in the corner and a bench in the middle. Under the shade of the tree there was a long, golden picnic blanket, and on that blanket was piles upon piles of food. Next to it was Prince Adrian and Rapunzel. I was close enough to see their distinct features and expressions, but not enough to make out what they were saying.

_Wait, where is Pascal? _I thought. He wasn't anywhere near the couple. He wouldn't just abandon Rapunzel. No, he was serious about his plan. So where was he?

It didn't take long to find him, really. I followed Rapunzel's distant, worried gaze to a cluster of little girls on the edge of the crowd. They were all petting and dressing up a little pink lizard. Wait, pink lizard?

Then it turned red. Then blue. Then black. It was a chameleon, of course. Pascal, to be exact. He looked so agitated by the children that he couldn't even control his color. Poor little guy.

I looked back to Rapunzel. She seemed to be trying to shrug off Pascal's situation and pay more attention to the prince, but I could tell she wasn't interested. Adrian kept trying to feed her a bit of sandwich or chocolate or scone, but Rapunzel would just take it from his hand and eat it herself. Fighting off flirtation? Good sign.

I skirted around the outside of the crowd to be closer to them. Over the chatter and starstruck whispers of the crowd, I could just make out some of their words.

"And so I said... my _exclusive_ boat... and he... Funny, right?" Adrian said, then started laughing like he had been told the funniest joke in the world. From the forced smile on Rapunzel's face, I could tell the joke had fallen pretty flat. Adrian didn't seem to notice, though.

I sneaked around the outskirts of the crowd until I ran into the group of girls playing with Pascal. I needed to get him free somehow. I couldn't do anything to sabotage their date, not without Rapunzel noticing, but Pascal could do it easily.

"What a cute little gecko," I said in a nearly falsetto voice. Talking to kids wasn't exactly my specialty, alright? Pascal scowled at me for calling him a gecko, but I was helping him out. He should be happy.

"He's a chameleon!" one of the kids replied indignantly.

"May I hold your chameleon?"

"He's the princess' chameleon, not ours," another one piped up.

"I'm very good friends with the princess," I told them. I tapped the golden sun symbol on my shoulder. The girls gasped, realizing who I was.

"Ohmigosh! You're the guy who saved the princess, aren't you?" The girls giggled. They all immediately let go of Pascal and handed him to me. The little reptile smiled gratefully at me, turned back to green, and hopped out of my hands and back to Rapunzel. The girls didn't seem fazed that they had lost their multi-colored playmate, though. They were all too interested in me now. What was my name? Was I a prince? How did I find Rapunzel? Did I love her?

"What do you mean?" I asked, a little confused by the question.

"Everyone knows when a knight saves a princess from danger, they fall in love happily ever after and get married!" They explained. "You must _loooooove_ her!"

I laughed, a little heartbroken at the irony. Even little girls could tell I had feelings for her. "No, that's what she's here for: to see if she and Prince Adrian love each other."

"Prince Adrian? Why him? He's only 16," one of the girls said.

What? All of the princes in this tour have to be 18 or older. And this kid is 16? No wonder he seemed short. And had a still high-pitched voice. The kid isn't even through puberty yet. I knew there was something off about this place. At first, I thought the king was just being overly friendly when giving me that tour of the castle, but I think he was just trying to keep me away from them, trying to stop me from finding out Adrian's age. I knew the filthy rich were always guilty of something. I knew it. I don't even have to make him look bad this time, Adrian will be disqualified if I tell someone.

I excused myself from the group of children and made my way toward the patch of grass where the prince and my princess sat.

Rapunzel had a squirming, whining Pascal trapped in her hands. Whatever prank he tried pull on Adrian had been caught. It didn't matter anyway. I had to talk to her.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel's false smile evaporated into a real one as I strode up to them.

"Sorry I'm late, but your father was keeping me _very _busy," I apologized, eyeing Adrian carefully.

"Oh, yes, he is rather accommodating toward our guests, sir," Adrian mumbled nervously.

"Adrian was just telling me about all the different kinds of jewels on the king's royal scepter. It was... interesting." I know Rapunzel was trying to be polite and all, but this was just pathetic. She was not interested in this guy already. All his bragging and fancy words and golden belongings turned her off immediately.

"Would you mind if I stole the princess away for a quick while so we could have a small talk?" I asked, turning to Adrian.

"Not at all," Adrian said. He was smiling, but something in his eyes told me he was afraid of what I might tell her.

Rapunzel stood and linked her arm through mine as we walked to the middle of the grass, out of Adrian's earshot.

"What do you think of him?" I asked immediately.

"He's... nice. He's funny, too."

"You are a horrible liar," I told her. She gave me a small smile.

"I'm giving him a chance," she said.

"He's too young," I couldn't wait any longer to say it; I had to get it out.

Rapunzel raised her eyebrows. "Sorry, Eugene, I don't know what you-"

"He's only 16. The king kept me away from you and from everyone else in the kingdom so I wouldn't find out," I explained.

"Are you sure? How do you know? And why would they want to marry him off so early?" Rapunzel was still too trusting and naïve to believe it at first, I realized.

"First off, it won't be easy to marry him off without this tradition. Look at him: the kid is arrogant, isn't any taller than you, and is flat-out annoying. The only thing he has going for him is his looks. Also, look around you. This kingdom already spent all its money on its gold decor; they're broke. You come from a wealthy family and a wealthy kingdom. They need your money. They're using you, Rapunzel." Pascal grinned devilishly from her shoulder.

Rapunzel furrowed her brows and cocked her head, processing what I told her. "You're right," she said, shaking her head. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and hooked her arms around my waist. "Thanks for telling me. I'm glad you came with me," she mumbled into my shoulder.

"No problem, blondie," I replied ironically, stroking her short, dark hair. I'm not really sure why I still call her that.

"What am I going to do? I'm in each kingdom for two days. It's only been a few hours!" Rapunzel said.

I shook my head. "I guess we just play along until tonight. Then we tell Montier and Max. They'll get us out of here immediately... if Max doesn't blow a gasket first." Rapunzel laughed, playfully pushing me away.

"Alright. But stay close, will you?" She requested.

"Of course," I replied.

Rapunzel walked back over to Adrian and sat down next to him again. He began eagerly telling stories as soon as he could.

I followed her over and leaned against the trunk of the tree, making sure Adrian knew I was there. Pascal - realizing he didn't have to watch Adrian as closely anymore - crawled off Rapunzel's shoulder and almost literally dove into a cherry pie.

I nearly fell asleep over the next half hour as more royal guards brought out more food and Adrian told more stories about... well, about himself. And they weren't interesting in the slightest. Yay, boredom!

Suddenly, the crowd parted and a man on horseback passed through. A short, pudgy, golden-cape-wearing man on a proud, white stallion.

"Crap," I muttered under my breath. Max and the king must have realized that I wasn't coming back. The king was there to round me up and Max was there to keep me out of trouble. I didn't like any of it.

Max trotted up to me and glared at down at me, silently saying, _"Did you lie to the King of Retana?! Did you lie to __me?_ _What are you planning?"_

The king slid off Max's back and stepped in front of me, chuckling lightly. "You gave me quite a scare, Sir Eugene. I feared maybe you'd gotten lost."

This guy was lying through his teeth, and I didn't like it. It's not like I didn't just do the same to both him _and _Max, but it was for a better reason. "Well, I happened to run into the princess and your son, and I realized that I'm her escort. And it's my job to _escort_ her around the kingdoms, you know." Max rolled his eyes at my response. He wasn't buying it.

"I really insist that isn't necessary," the king persisted nervously. I tried to catch Max's eye. If I could somehow tell him about Adrian through my expression, he'd have us out of here in no time.

"It is what I'm here for, your majesty," I replied nonchalantly. It was probably dangerous to argue with a king, but I wasn't always the most level-headed, you know.

The king glanced around anxiously at the silent crowd around us. "Did I mention it's lunchtime?" he offered weakly.

"Rapunzel and Adrian just ate," I protested, pointing toward the picnic blanket behind me which was still loaded with food. Somehow my comment seemed to make Max finally realize that something was up with the king. He narrowed his eyes and sniffed at the king's cloak as if checking it for bombs. Thank God he and I are on the same page for once. Maybe he could be a new ally.

"That was just an appetizer, my boy, now let's go for the real treat! Anyone up for roast turkey? Or apple cobbler?" Max visibly perked up at the words 'apple cobbler'. He shot me a glance like, _"Eh, how bad can he be?" _So much for a new ally. Rapunzel sent me an uncomfortable look. I know she didn't want me to protest or argue any further. She didn't want to make a scene in front of the crowd around us. We just had to play along for a little while longer. Even if it killed us.


	5. Revelations and Nightmares

**Yo. You've made it this far! Impressive! I'm here to say thanks a ton for reading this, and thanks even more to all my awesome followers, favoriters and reviewers! Your support and ideas has helped me continue this story and kept my head in the game. This chapter has a little less to offer 'cause school is starting soon, I've been working, and my family is going camping on Thursday so I won't be updating until Tuesday next week, but I'll still be writing. And, hey, I made a whole chapter in a week! It's a new record! Once again, thanks for your support!**

**-Gray**

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The palace hall was just as grand as the rest of the castle. Once again, everything in the room was solid gold: the dining table, the chairs, the walls, the floors, the silverware and plates. Everything. The king took a seat in the largest chair at the end of the table. A beautiful woman who shared Adrian's features and hair color sat in the chair adjacent to him. I figured she was the queen. She looked shy, and looked at the floor when she talked, if at all. She smiled genuinely at Rapunzel and I, though. Maybe this country wasn't _completely _full of scumbags. Prince Adrian sat opposite her, and Rapunzel sat next to him. I sat next to her.

A group of Coronian guards - led by the lead guardsman, Montier - tried to come in and stand next to Rapunzel and I, but the king's Retanian servants shut the door on them before they could. I honestly don't trust this at all.

Servants brought out plates of roast turkey and cherry pies and beef stew. Rapunzel shared a plate with Pascal, but the two combined still barely ate anything. I think she was still processing how she'd been tricked and used.

The king made small talk throughout the dinner. What was the weather like in Corona? How did we like it in Retana? Were we enjoying ourselves? It took everything in me to stop myself from being rude or curt or sarcastic during the meal. Rapunzel eyed me nervously every few moments as if she thought I would snap or tell him we know about Adrian's real age. Honestly I might have just done that had I not had her there to motivate me along. But I also knew that accusing the king of Retana of flat-out fraud wouldn't do anything but start a fight, and the last thing I needed was to be thrown into some Retanian jail or taken away from the tour because of some "false accusations again Retanian royalty".

Adrian didn't speak throughout the entire meal. Maybe he knows we know his secret. Maybe he doesn't want to interrupt his dad. Maybe he's less arrogant than I thought. I'm not really sure, but something was off the whole time, and I was starting to become suspicious.

Eventually, the king grew bored with entertaining us, and left with the queen to their quarters. The servants followed closely after them, still offering wine and dessert as they left the room.

"Wow," Rapunzel noted, turning to Adrian, "Your parents sure are something."

Adrian met her eyes with a forlorn expression. "Aren't they, though?" he replied in an incredibly deadpan tone. I was puzzled. What was with this kid all of a sudden? It was like someone flipped a switch inside him, making him go from arrogant jerk to miserable weirdo.

"What do you mean?" Rapunzel asked cautiously. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side a bit.

"It's nothing. My father can just be a bit... crazy..." he said quietly. I was about to mention that we already knew that because of all the fricking gold in the room, but the sad look on Adrian's face stopped me.

"We all have crazy parents," Rapunzel cooed gently. "I was raised by a kidnapper in a tower in the middle of the woods."

"But at least she wasn't your real mother. And my dad is _crazy _crazy. He comes up with these stupid schemes and..." Adrian sighed. "I can't get married! I don't want to! I'm still a boy and - no offense - but I don't even like you that much. Well, not like you think I do. You're nice and all, but - ah, to heck with it, I'm 16, Rapunzel. My dad lied to your family. He's doing it for the money…" Adrian sobbed in a boyish tone and buried his face in his hands. Rapunzel, Pascal and I exchanged glances, our eyes wide and jaws dropped. Did he just confess to us?

I couldn't believe this kid would just spill his guts to us like that. Not only that, but he actually seemed like a real wimp, just breaking down and crying like that. Rapunzel leaned toward him and gently hugged him anyway, trying to soothe the poor kid. I don't really want to admit that it made me jealous to see her hug him, but I knew I was anyway. At least he could be officially out of the race with this confession. One prince down, two to go. Pascal sniffed at his hair as if unsure whether to trust him or not.

"You have to do something. Tell someone, get me out of this contest, please!" Adrian pleaded. Rapunzel pulled away from him and patted his shoulder.

"I'm still confused," I said, walking closer to where he sat. "Why did you act so... unlike yourself earlier?"

"I was trying to keep Rapunzel from liking me. If I was a self-centered, conceited jerk, then I knew she probably wouldn't pick me," Adrian answered shyly, as if ashamed.

"Hey, it's alright," Rapunzel cut in, "You did the right thing by telling us. Someday - when you're of age - I bet you'll find a wonderful girl to marry!"

Adrian smiled a little. "Thanks, princess," he said with his crooked grin growing. I tried not to get too angry, but I felt only I could call her 'princess' in an adorably joking way. This kid was an even worse pain when he wasn't some arrogant aristocrat! I mentally sighed. What was I doing? Getting all jealous over a kid who wasn't even old enough to get married _and _who just said he didn't even like Rapunzel. How pathetic.

Rapunzel then turned to me. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded, smiling. I couldn't wait to see Max's expression when he found out about the king's lies. He'd have a cow! Or - er - a horse.

Rapunzel took my hand and we walked out of the castle side-by-side. Just before we reached the courtyard, a sheepish voice called after us. "Hey! Hey, uh, Eugene - erm - _Sir _Eugene, I mean!"

We stopped and turned back to find Prince Adrian running after us. He looked so uncoordinated and dorky now. He kept tripping over his own feet because of his way-too-tall boots, and his glittering cloak was fluttering wildly behind him.

"Well, I know you need to tell the guards about all this, and... Do you think I'll get in trouble?" Jesus Christ, what a coward.

"No," Rapunzel answered. "Of course not." Adrian exhaled deeply.

"Thanks," he said, "but... What about my father?"

"What about him?" I replied gruffly.

"Will he get in trouble?"

I rolled my eyes. "He's a king. How much trouble can he get in? Sure, you'll be disqualified from the tour and he might be shamed amongst all the neighboring kingdoms forever-" Rapunzel elbowed my arm gently. "But it's not like he can get in any trouble!" I added quickly, massaging the spot where she hit me.

Adrian nodded, then scurried back inside. Well, at least we won't have to deal with him anymore. We exited the palace gates, greeted by thousands of screaming, adoring commoners. Rapunzel waved and smiled and shook their hands while I led her through the crowd by her arm. The herd of people followed us back to the harbor, where we met up with Montier and his group of guards, along with Max. Pascal scurried down Rapunzel's arm and up mine, stopping on my shoulder. The little reptile was so giddy, it was most comical.

"Princess, Sir Eugene," Montier greeted us, "You're back early, aren't you?"

I shifted my gaze to the crowd still piling up around us. "We need to talk... privately."

The guards made a circle around us and escorted us onto our ship, the _C.S. Sunrise._

Max had a cow. His jaw dropped at first, but then he started getting angry. His ears flattened against his head, his tail stuck straight out behind him, and he started growling like an angry dog. He hadn't taken the news well. Montier was more composed. Sure, he was shocked at first, but he straightened his posture and set off to his quarters to write a letter to the king of Corona.

The captain of the ship informed us we'd be setting sail at sunset, which was in approximately four hours.

Rapunzel and I stayed above deck, not saying much to each other until dinner. The crew and guardsmen ate, but Rapunzel, Pascal and I weren't hungry. The one thing that impressed me about Retana was their amazing cooking abilities. Man, that roast turkey was good! Max stayed above deck, too (obviously! Did you seriously expect that a horse could climb into the hull of a ship?) and watched over us. He sat next to me in his odd, canine-esque way and I scratched behind his ears. I have to admit, as meddlesome as he could be, he was a good horse, even if he was naïve as all heck. I mean, how hard was it to see that Retana's king was hiding something?!

Soon enough, Max fell asleep. You know that thing about horses sleeping standing up? Yeah, Max doesn't do that. He's practically a giant dog. He collapsed onto the deck (landing on my foot!) and was out cold.

Rapunzel shivered and stepped closer to me. I tentatively put my arm around her, and when she didn't pull away, I squeezed her tighter. "Stop it, Eugene!" She laughed. "You're gonna suffocate me!"

I teased, "I can't help it. I don't wanna let you slip away again."

She looked up at me with those big, innocent, green eyes and said, "Then I won't."

Montier suddenly burst from below deck. A chorus of laughing drunken sailors and guardsmen could be heard coming from the door. "I've sent a letter off to your father, Princess Rapunzel, and I've also sent a letter to the king of Retana informing him of our early departure. We set sail in an hour." Rapunzel and I nodded. Montier grinned, a rare thing for him to do, and stumbled back down the steps to the kitchen.

I yawned. "Gosh, I'm tired. It's only been a day, but I cannot wait to get out of this kingdom. Too much gold for my taste. And talk about a dysfunctional family..."

"Yeah, we should get to bed," Rapunzel agreed. She wrapped her arms around my waist in a hug, and I returned the embrace gladly, knowing it could be one of the last times I ever hug her like this. "You've been amazing," she whispered, "What would I do without you?"

"Oh, you know, just be stuck in a tower with magic golden hair that's a mile long and a crazy, old kidnapper lady for a mother." Rapunzel's expression was suddenly hard to read. "Too far?" I asked.

She shook her head, laughing. "No, just far enough. You're completely right. If I never met you, that's where I'd be... I kind of miss my old hair though."

"Hey, but now it takes so much less time to brush!"

"But I liked that old nickname you gave me."

"Blondie?"

Rapunzel nodded.

"I can still call you that..."

"No, you can't!"

"...Blondie."

"Gosh darnit, you!" She playfully pushed me away, and then yawned. "I'm going to bed. See you in the morning?"

"Of course. Next stop: Sixella!"

I dreamt of a wedding. It wasn't mine. It was Rapunzel's. But not mine. My worst fear. A handsome man waited at the altar next to her father, the king, and I stood in the place of the Best Man. _Is that all I am to her? _I wondered. _Her Best Man?_

Suddenly, the wedding scene melted, and we were at the reception. Rapunzel was speaking in front of the crowd. I sat next to her new husband. My heart felt heavy and broken, but I faked a smile anyway.

"And I just want to thank my best friend, Sir Eugene Fitzherbert-Rider!" She turned to me, "Thank you for helping me through the tour and not interfering in any way. You helped me find a wonderful husband outside of my own kingdom. We will be happy together forever!" The crowd cheered. My smile faded. _Together forever? This can't be happening! Didn't I try to stop this? Why didn't I?!_

That scene melted just like the first. I was now in a luxurious bedroom. Rose petals were sprinkled over the floor and on the bed. Rapunzel sat on the bed in a tattered wedding dress, her face buried in her hands, and her shoulders bouncing erratically. She was crying. Bawling, really. Her sobs echoed through the room and wove into my very soul. I hated to see her upset. I tried to reach out and touch her shoulder, but I couldn't move.

"Didn't you love me?" I heard her whisper. "Didn't you love me enough to stop this? I thought you loved me!" She looked up, right at me, and into my eyes. Her eyes were puffy and red from her tears.

_"I do love you!" _I tried to say, but no words came out. I couldn't even move my mouth.

"Honey? Are you in here?" a voice called into the room. Rapunzel quickly dried her eyes and sobered up.

"Yes, love!" she called back cheerfully as if nothing happened. Her eyes still looked sad and puffy, though.

The handsome man she had married walked into the bedroom. Rapunzel stood to greet him. They met in the middle and kissed. My trance broke, and I could move again. Anger and jealousy blinded me as I stormed forward, grabbed her husband by the shirt collar and pushed up against the wall. Suddenly, our surroundings shifted one final time, and we were back at the wedding. I still had her prince by the throat. The crowd was silent, and Rapunzel's expression was mixed between horrified and humiliated.

I dropped the man slowly, and Rapunzel pointed a finger at me. "You... you ruined everything!"

"I thought you wanted me to!" I defended myself. "You said you didn't love him! You said you loved _me!"_

"How could I ever love someone like _you?!" _She spat.

The horrid dream melted into darkness, and I awoke to the smell of sea salt and fish.

I only had one thought left in my mind after that nightmare: _Am I really doing the right thing?_


End file.
